I am a son of the South.  And I say that proudly.

My accent may not be a drawl or as slow as sorghum syrup, but I still throw in a “y’all,” an “ain’t,” or an “I reckon” from time to time.  Hopefully, my manners and inbred spirit of hospitality make my  Southern upbringing evident to anyone with eyes and ears to see and hear.  And I eat fried chicken with my fingers and adore fried okra.  So, yes, I am a true Southern boy.

To my utter shock, I recently received an article from a friend suggesting that the classic Georgian (Southern) accent is fading fast. Holy Grits, say it ain’t so.  

Classic Georgia Accent Fading Fast

This phys.org article quoted Margaret Renwick, Associate Professor in UGA’s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Department of Linguistics and lead on the study, “We found that, here in Georgia, white English speakers’ accents have been shifting away from the traditional Southern pronunciation for the last few generations…Today’s college students don’t sound like their parents, who didn’t sound like their own parents.”

The article goes on to say, “The researchers observed the most notable change between the baby boomer generation (born 1943 to 1964) and Generation X (born 1965 to 1982) when the accent fell off a cliff.”

Since my five children are all Generation Xers, I will blame them for losing our cherished linguistic legacy.  I must admit, however, that four of them have degrees from the University of Georgia and are prone to shout “Go Dawgs” at any given moment.  One of them briefly attended a northern university, but after a quarter, he called home saying that folks talked funny up there, the people were downright rude, and the weather was too cold.  When he came home for Christmas, he called from the first Waffle House he found in North Carolina. After ordering a glass of sweet iced tea, he confessed, “I will be home in 6 hours, and I never plan to leave Georgia again.”  And he hasn’t. OK, maybe I can’t blame MY kids for this change in the character of our speech.

But there is hope.

On the same day I read the above-mentioned article, I came across another one about Southern accents, in, of all places, Jezebel Magazine titled, I Killed My Southern Accent and a Piece of Myself With It.  The author, Becca Andrews, confessed to having hated her Southern accent and worked hard to get rid of it.  Later, she regretted losing that part of her life, and now she longs to “reclaim and resurrect a part of herself.”

I do hope our Southern words and accents — my wife calls them “Y’allbalisms” — remain part of our culture.  Otherwise, the sweet-sounding delicacy of our Southernisms will be lost.  Can you imagine hearing someone — minus the Southern accent — speak about leaving “lickety-split” or being “smack dab” in the middle of a “gullywasher?” It wouldn’t be long before folks forget that “fixing-to” is really one word. And, is it even possible to utter the phrase “over yonder” or “Bless your heart” without sounding properly Southern?

One of the glories of living in the South is sounding like you always have.  There is a kindness and thoughtfulness that drips from the Southern tongue. What better example than a Southern grandma who exudes a charming manner and tone when saying, “Come in here and let Memaw fix you a plate.” She has a file full of secret recipes, and company is always welcome. But don’t be fooled by these sweet-talking, soft-spoken epitomes of Southern hospitality. Lord have mercy on you if you cross one. Each  possesses a stare that can curdle milk and, when necessary, a honey-soaked voice that can have the same effect as a cotton-covered rolling pin upside the head. 

So, I do hope Southern women keep their unique speaking voice.  One day, they will be grandmas with names like Memaw, Gigi, Nana, or Mimi.  And the best version of themselves will be the ones whose voices sound like a verbal hug — voices as Southern and sweet as a Karo syrup-inspired pecan pie.

I’d so hate to see our precious regional accent disappear.  Then, it wouldn’t be long before people stopped saying Grace before meals.

And that would be a doggone shame.